Assoc Prof Robyn Woods - Researcher Profile

Biography

Robyn Woods has a BSc (Hons, 1978) from the University of Queensland and a PhD (Medicine, 1982) from Monash University. She is currently Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (DEPM), within the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University. She is the Executive Officer of the ASPREE (ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly) clinical trial, which is the largest primary prevention trial to be undertaken in Australia, and is director of the ancillary study, the ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank.

Robyn was awarded NHMRC research fellowships from 1992-2005 at the Baker Institute and then at the Howard Florey Institute. She has more than 80 peer-reviewed publications and has made important contributions to the physiology of neuro-humoral control of the heart and circulation. Robyn has made the transition from a career in basic cardiovascular physiology (1983 onwards) to clinical research and epidemiology (since 2005).

Since joining DEPM Monash University, Robyn has played a pivotal role in securing the large NIH grant (USD 50 million) that was spearheaded by Monash and awarded jointly to Monash and the Berman Center in Minneapolis for the ASPREE clinical trial. She also played a major role in establishing the collaboration cluster with the CSIRO to fund the ASPREE Healthy Ageing Biobank. In 2006 Robyn was awarded the Howard Florey Medal for her contributions to animal welfare and ethics. In 2008 she received the President's Award from the National Heart Foundation for services to the peer review process for awarding cardiovascular research scholarships and fellowships in Australia.

Qualifications

DOCOTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (MEDICINE)

Institution: Monash University

Year awarded: 1983

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (HONS)

Institution: University of Queensland

Year awarded: 1979

Publications

Journal Articles

Reid, C.M., Storey, E., Wong, T.Y., Woods, R.L., Tonkin, A.M., Wang, J.J., Kam, A., Janke, A., Essex, R., Abhayaratna, W., Budge, M., 2012, Aspirin for the prevention of cognitive decline in the elderly: rationale and design of a neuro-vascular imaging study (ENVIS-ion), BMC Neurology [P], vol 12, issue 3, BioMed Central Ltd, UK, pp. 1-9.

Reid, C., Storey, E., Wong, T., Woods, R., Tonkin, A., Wang, J., KAM, A., Janke, A., Essex, R., Abhayaratna, W., Budge, M., 2012, Aspiring for the prevention of cognitive decline in the elderly: rationale and design of a neuro-vascular imaging study (ENVIS-ion), BMC Neurology [P], vol 12, issue 3, Biomed Central Ltd, England, pp. 1-9.

Linden, M., Tran, H.A., Woods, R.L., Tonkin, A.M., 2012, High platelet reactivity and antiplatelet therapy resistance, Seminars In Thrombosis And Hemostasis [P], vol 38, issue 2, Thieme Medical Publishing Co, United States, pp. 200-212.

Thomas, C., Sharma, A., Woods, R., 2011, Do prostanoids or nitric oxide mediate sensitization of the von Bezold-Jarisch reflex by B-type natriuretic peptide?, Clinical And Experimental Pharmacology And Physiology [P], vol 38, issue 7, Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Asia, Australia, pp. 410-415.

Ramchandra, R., Hood, S.G., Denton, D.A., Woods, R.L., McKinley, M.J., McAllen, R.M., May, C.N., 2009, Basis for the preferential activation of cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in heart failure, Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America [P], vol 106, issue 3, National Academy of Sciences, United States, pp. 924-928.

Woods, R.L., Nelson, M., Tonkin, A.M., Reid, C.M., 2009, In reply: Should aspirin be used for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes?, Medical Journal Of Australia [P], vol 191, issue 6, Australasian Medical Publishing Company Pty. Ltd, Australia, pp. 356-357.

Woods, R.L., Tonkin, A.M., Nelson, M., Britt, H., Reid, C.M., 2009, Should aspirin be used for the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in people with diabetes?, Medical Journal Of Australia [P], vol 190, issue 11, Australasian Medical Publishing Company Pty. Ltd, Australia, pp. 614-615.

Nelson, M., Reid, C.M., Ames, D.A., Beilin, L.J., Donnan, G.A., Gibbs, P., Johnston, C.I., Krum, H., Storey, E., Tonkin, A.M., Wolfe, R.S.J., Woods, R.L., McNeil, J.J., 2008, Feasibility of conducting a primary prevention trial of low-dose aspirin for major adverse cardiovascular events in older people in Australia: Results from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) pilot study, Medical Journal of Australia, vol 189, issue 2, Australasian Medical Publishing Company Pty. Ltd., Australia, pp. 105-109.

Thomas, C.J., McAllen, R.M., Salo, L.M., Woods, R.L., 2008, Restorative effect of atrial natriuretic peptide or chronic neutral endopeptidase inhibition on blunted cardiopulmonary vagal reflexes in aged rats, Hypertension, vol 52, issue 4, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 696-701.

Toader, E., McAllen, R.M., Cividjian, A., Woods, R.L., Quintin, L., 2007, Effect of systemic B-type natriuretic peptide on cardiac vagal motoneuron activity, American Journal of Physiology: Heart and Circulatory Physiology, vol 293, issue 6, American Physiological Society, USA, pp. 3465-3470.

Salo, L.M., Woods, R.L., Anderson, C.R., McAllen, R.M., 2007, Nonuniformity in the von Bezold-Jarisch reflex, American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, vol 293, issue 2, American Physiological Society, United States, pp. R714-R720.

McKinley, M.J., Denton, D.A., Thomas, C.J., Woods, R.L., Mathai, M.L., 2006, Differential effects of aging on fluid intake in response to hypovolemia, hypertonicity, and hormonal stimuli in Munich Wistar rats, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol 103, issue 9, National Academy of Sciences, United States, pp. 3450-3455.

Barber, M.N., Kanagasundaram, M., Anderson, C., Burrell, L.M., Woods, R.L., 2006, Vascular neutral endopeptidase inhibition improves endothelial function and reduces intimal hyperplasia, Cardiovascular Research, vol 71, issue 1, Elsevier, Amsterdam The Netherlands, pp. 179-188.

Barber, M.N., Gaspari, T.A., Kairuz, E.M., Dusting, G.J., Woods, R.L., 2005, Atrial natriuretic peptide preserves endothelial function during intimal hyperplasia, Journal of Vascular Research, vol 42, issue 2, S Karger AG, Switzerland, pp. 101-110.

Kairuz, E.M., Barber, M.N., Anderson, C.R., Kanagasundaram, M., Drummond, G.R., Woods, R.L., 2005, C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) suppresses plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) in vivo, Cardiovascular Research, vol 66, issue 3, Elsevier, Amsterdam The Netherlands, pp. 574-582.

Woods, R.L., 2004, Cardioprotective functions of atrial natriuretic peptide and B-type natriuretic peptide: a brief review, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, vol 31, issue 11, Blackwell Publishing Asia, Australia, pp. 791-794.

Thomas, C.J., Woods, R.L., 2004, Do natriuretic peptides modify arterial baroreflexes in sheep?, Experimental Physiology, vol 89, issue 6, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 709-715.

Hood, S.G., Woods, R.L., 2004, Vagal reflex actions of atrial natriuretic peptide survive physiological but not pathological cardiac hypertrophy in rat, Experimental Physiology, vol 89, issue 4, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, United Kingdom, pp. 445-454.

Rosenkranz, A., Woods, R.L., Dusting, G.J., Ritchie, R.H., 2003, Antihypertrophic actions of the natriuretic peptides in adult rat cardiomyocytes: importance of cyclic GMP, Cardiovascular Research, vol 57, issue 2, Elsevier Science BV, United Kingdom, France, pp. 515-522.

Rosenkranz, A., Hood, S.G., Woods, R.L., Dusting, G.J., Ritchie, R.H., 2003, B-type natriuretic peptide prevents acute hypertrophic responses in the diabetic rat heart: importance of cyclic GMP, Diabetes, vol 52, American Diabetes Association, USA, pp. 2389-2395.

Thomas, C.J., Woods, R.L., 2003, Guanylyl cyclase receptors mediate cardiopulmonary vagal reflex actions of ANP, Hypertension, vol 41, issue 2, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 279-285.

Thomas, C.J., Woods, R.L., 2003, Haemodynamic action of B-type natriuretic peptide substantially outlasts its plasma half-life in conscious dogs, Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology and Physiology, vol 30, Blackwell Publishing Asia, Australia, pp. 369-375.

Thomas, C.J., Allen, A.M., McAllen, R.M., Woods, R.L., 2002, ANP potentiates nonarterial baroreflex bradycardia: evidence from sinoaortic denervation in rats, Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical, vol 97, issue 2, Elsevier BV, Netherlands, pp. 89-98.

Rosenkranz, A., Hood, S.G., Woods, R.L., Dusting, G.J., Ritchie, R.H., 2002, Acute antihypertrophic actions of bradykinin in the rat heart. Importance of cyclic GMP, Hypertension, vol 40, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, United States, pp. 498-503.

Brunner-La Rocca, H.P., Woods, R.L., Kaye, D.M., Hastings, J., Thomas, C.J., Lambert, E., Esler, M.D., 2002, Divergent effects of ANP and BNP in acute heart failure: evidence for a putative BNP-selective receptor?, Journal of Hypertension, vol 20, issue 6, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ltd, United Kingdom, United States, pp. 1195-1201.

Thomas, C.J., May, C.N., Sharma, A.D., Woods, R.L., 2001, ANP, BNP, and CNP enhance bradycardic responses to cardiopulmonary chemoreceptor activation in conscious sheep, American Journal of Physiology: Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, vol 280, issue 1, American Physiological Society, United States, pp. R282-R288.

Brunner-La Rocca, H.P., Kaye, D.M., Woods, R.L., Hastings, J., Esler, M.D., 2001, Effects of intravenous brain natriuretic peptide on regional sympathetic activity in patients with chronic heart failure as compared with healthy control subjects, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, vol 37, issue 5, Elsevier Inc, United States, pp. 1221-1227.

Postgraduate Research Supervisions

Completed Supervision

Student:

Barber, M.

Program of Study:

VASCULAR ACTIONS OF NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES IN ATHEROSCLEROSIS. (PHD) 2003.

Supervisors:

Widdop, R (Main), Woods, R (Associate).

Student:

Thomas, C.

Program of Study:

INFLUENCE OF NATRIURETIC PEPTIDES ON CARDIAC REFLEXES.. (PHD) 2001.

Supervisors:

Woods, R (Main), Anderson, W (Associate).